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“The marginalized child in my classroom is a snob,” reports Ms. Jones, a third-grade teacher. “No one wants to be around her.  She’s rude and uncaring. I know the school counselor said she was a lonely child, but, my goodness, she deserves to be. She’s …

The technical aspects of playground surfacing start with the CPSC Handbook for Public Playground Safety. “Because head impact injuries from a fall have the potential for being life-threatening, the more shock-absorbing a surface can be made, the greater …

Creating original theme ideas for your community park is a good way to offer play equipment and play areas that invigorate and excite your community. Whether you are designing a traditional park setting, a play structure, spray park, or water park, …

Can it really be that the phrase “Tag, you’re it!” is a thing of the past? I was sure I heard that wrong when listening to the news recently. Imagine my shock at hearing that a school in Massachusetts banned the game most of us grew up playing in one form …

­If you are interested in creating a sound garden for your school or neighborhood park, there are different resources out there to help with equipment selection as well as funding. Check with your local department of cultural affairs. In New York City, …

They are happening around the nation and are music to your play. Sound gardens, or sound playgrounds, are chiming in and bringing a whole new dimension to play. Bill and Mary Buchen have collaborated in the creation of these innovative playgrounds that …

If you take a look around you today at all the relief efforts going on, you’ll find many organizations out there lending a hand for the greater good. This is happening in the Gulf Coast Region and in our own backyards and ranges from building homes to …

You may have heard this question asked: “Why does it matter what size structure my child plays on? Isn’t that how they develop?” Sure, it is, but imagine hanging your two-year-old on an overhead ladder structure and saying, “Ok, Jimmy, climb across and …

“I saw Mr. Fussler use his Board of Education,” boasts eight-year-old David, as he returns from taking the attendance sheets to the school office. “Freddie was in there screamin’ and cryin’ as he got his licks. And Mr. Fussler told Freddie that if he …

After the installation crew has completed constructing the play equipment and playground surfacing, there remains the task of checking the work that has been completed. The installation crew should have left a clean, undamaged job site. The installation …

The word green has taken on a whole new meaning in our society. Not that it was ever unfriendly, but it certainly has become a friendly term in a lot of respects. We hear of things “going green.” That can mean everything from recycling to environmental …

­Summer keeps heating up. July 2006 was recorded as the second hottest summer for the United States. In fact, overall, January through July of 2006 was the warmest seven months of any year since record-keeping began. More than 2300 temperature records …

I want to open up one of the great debates in the playground industry…safety. I’m doing this because of comments I receive, and I want to pose them to you, the reader. We know that it’s of the utmost importance to keep our children safe on the playground. …

Here are the basics an installer will encounter on an installation. After the size of the play area is determined, concrete borders are formed and poured. After the concrete dries, the forms are removed. Layout determines where upright posts that hold …

There are only two pieces of play equipment, which I am aware of, that are branded so dangerous they are actually outlawed. One is animal swings. You know, the rocking horses that move when you push your feet forward on the foot peddles. They were fun and …

Maryland has an abundance of state and county-owned parks that are just perfect for picnics and playgrounds. Greenspaces and regional parks are scattered strategically throughout the state and range in size from only an acre or two to those having a …

One could truly say that MaryLou Iverson is following in her father's footsteps. her father was a Park and Rec director in Battle Creek, Mich. She spent a lot of time as a child with her father, who was active on the ASTM Committees for Playground and …

We all know that fundraising can be one of the hardest parts of bringing your play space into being. Here are a few companies that can likely help out. When it comes to fundraising, don't rule anyone out. Begin at home with businesses and …

Each one of us has something within that compels us to enter the delightful world of play. Walk by a playground, pause for a moment, and awaken your senses to see and hear the squeals of delight, the darting from one piece of equipment to another, the …

Have you seen the series of Holiday Inn Express commercials that show people doing things they shouldn’t be doing, including performing medical operations? My favorite is the one where the man appears to be an instructor for skydivers. He instructs …